Witness Kenya’s and Tanzania’s spectacular wildlife on this flagship A&K safari, setting out on game drives through the region’s most abundant parks and private reserves and staying in our best boutique camp and luxury lodge accommodations.
Day 1 - Arrive Nairobi, Kenya
Arrive in Nairobi and transfer to the luxurious Fairmont The
Norfolk. Perhaps Kenya’s most famous hotel, it has welcomed
generations of safari-goers since it first opened on Christmas
Day, 1904.
Day 2 - Amboseli National Park
Today, drive to Amboseli National Park at the base of soaring, snowcapped Mount Kilimanjaro, which, at 19,341 feet, is the highest freestanding mountain in the world. Set out in search of the region’s spectacular wildlife — lions, leopards, cheetahs, Cape buffalo and hosts of plains game — all roaming freely amid swamps, springs and a shimmering, dried lake bed. This evening, gather with fellow guests for a welcome dinner celebrating the start of an unforgettable safari adventure.
Day 3 - Amboseli National Park
Spend a full day exploring wildlife-rich Amboseli National
Park, renowned for the large herds of elephants that roam its
sun-drenched grasslands. View elephants up close, and watch
for lions and buffalo as well, from a safari vehicle that seats
just six, so that every guest enjoys a window seat. Enjoy a
morning on safari before breaking for lunch. This afternoon,
take another game drive, capped with a refreshing Scenic
Sundowner in the bush.
Day 4 - Tarangire National Park, Tanzania
After crossing the border into Tanzania, stop for lunch in
Arusha. Then, board a flight from Arusha to Tarangire National
Park and settle into your luxurious accommodations. Set in a
secluded area of the park for a more exclusive safari experience,
Sanctuary Swala’s large tents are built on raised decks under
umbrella acacia trees overlooking a popular watering hole. The
layout of this eco-friendly abode is very open, with resident
herds of impalas often grazing in camp. Wide panoramas of
wooded savanna stretch in every direction in the park, which
is nurtured by the permanent Tarangire River and populated
by abundant big game, such as lions, elephants and buffalo.
Its dusty red landscape also hosts a large bird population.
Tonight, dine in camp.
Day 5 - Tarangire National Park
Today, embark on morning and afternoon game drives to explore Tarangire National Park. At Tarangire, find a stunning concentration of animals — herds of elephants, impalas and zebras. Look, too, for pythons and the twitching tails of leopards, which hide high above in sausage trees. Once back at Swala, partake in a Chef’s Table experience, including a cooking demonstration of local dishes such as
ugali, makande and kachumbari, followed by an opportunity
to taste them.
Day 6 - Ngorongoro Crater
Learn how Tanzanians live today, exploring in and around
the village of Mto wa Mbu, as you Ride Like a Local by tuk-tuk, a major form of transport here. See rice fields and
a banana plantation, and try banana beer at a local bar. In
the village, walk the local market to see the colorful produce
on display. Afterward, head to your restful luxury lodge, set
near the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, for lunch. This
afternoon, enjoy one of these Design Your Day activities.
Walk with a Maasai Healer, discovering the uses of over
20 different indigenous plants in the Ngorongoro forest.
Bicycle the Back Roads of a nearby village to get a feel
for life as the locals live it.
Enjoy a Traditional High Tea on the veranda overlooking
the gardens at Gibb’s Farm; meet the artist-in-residence.
Settle in for a tranquil evening and overnight stay.
Day 7 - Ngorongoro Crater
Descend into Ngorongoro Crater to explore the panoramic,
game-rich prairies of this ancient volcanic caldera. Backdropped
by crater walls nearly 2,000 feet high, Ngorongoro offers the
safari experience of a lifetime in a setting unmatched the
world over. Observe profuse and diverse wildlife roaming
freely in an authentic “Lost World,” where it’s possible to
encounter every member of the Big Five in a single day. Enjoy
lunch al fresco in this UNESCO World Heritage Site before
returning to your lodge. Tonight, gather for dinner with
your fellow guests.
Day 10 - Serengeti National Park
Fly to Serengeti National Park, a vast Tanzanian landscape
that during part of the year hosts one of earth’s greatest
wildlife spectacles: the annual Great Migration, when
millions of herbivores trek across the Serengeti plains in
search of water and fresh grass, with hungry predators
awaiting them. Over the next two days, your adventure
may reveal giraffes, wildebeests, elephants and far more
on morning and afternoon game drives.
Day 11 - Masai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya
Fly to the Masai Mara, the northern extension of the
Serengeti. After settling into your accommodation on a
private stretch of the Mara River, immerse yourself in the wild during an afternoon game drive. Follow the Mara River
to see crocodiles basking in the sun; hippos as they wallow
in muddy water; and monkeys, busy sparking mischief
overhead. Here, too, you may sight any of more than 400
species of birds, among them eagles who glide effortlessly
above the sun-soaked landscape. During your time in the
Mara, enjoy the peace of mind that comes with staying at
Sanctuary Olonana, recognized as one of the finest safari
lodges in all of Africa. Tonight, join fellow guests for a Scenic
Sundowner, followed by an elegant dinner.
Day 13 - Masai Mara Game Reserve
Venture forth for two full days of exploring the open savanna,
woodlands and tree-fringed rivers of the Masai Mara, where
patience is rewarded with unique sightings such as a leopard
retrieving a kill from the upper branches of an acacia or
elephants protecting their young from opportunistic lions.
Game viewing is never dull in the Mara, especially when the
dramatic annual Great Migration unfolds. Amid the stunning
scenery, watch as Maasai tribesmen traverse the plains or
herd goats and cattle. On one day here, visit a Maasai village
and meet with an elder to learn about local culture and
traditions. Connect with local residents when you visit a
village and primary school supported by A&K Philanthropy.
Learn firsthand how AKP’s LifeStraw partnership is changing
lives by providing locals access to safe, clean drinking water,
on an inspiring A&K-exclusive experience.
Day 14 - Depart Nairobi
Fly back to Nairobi and enjoy the afternoon at leisure in a
comfortable dayroom. In the evening, transfer to the airport for your departure flight or begin a Post-Tour Extension to
Uganda.